Elton John 'Hopes' to Be Involved With 'Lion King' Remake, Dishes on Surprise Broadway Performance (Exclusive)

John stirred speculation of his potential involvement this weekend, when he made a surprise appearance on stage at the Broadway production of the The Lion King, in honor of the show's 20th anniversary.

ET caught up with the legendary entertainer at the Elton John AIDS Foundation's Fall Gala on Tuesday, at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City where he was honored for his philanthropic work, and he opened up about his unexpected performance.

"It was very exciting, I was a surprise," John said. "I wasn't able to be here for the 15th anniversary and it's been such an important part of my life, it's opened so many doors for me, and it was just great to see everybody."

The 70-year-old megastar -- who wrote and sang some of the most iconic songs on the soundtrack of the 1994 animated classic -- treated the audience to a live rendition of his legendary tune "Circle of Life."

The "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" singer was joined by husband David Furnish at the star-studded black tie gala in the Big Apple, as their charitable foundation celebrated its own anniversary after 25 years of raising money for programs providing assistance to those living with AIDS/HIV, conducting research into treatment and battling the ongoing worldwide epidemic.

"It seems only yesterday we started it at the kitchen table in Atlanta," Furnish reflected. "It's been an amazing journey, we've learned so much. I've learned so much, the foundation has learned so much. It's a wonderful foundation."

According to Furnish, the foundation has raised nearly $400 million for its charitable initiatives, and they've "helped a lot of people," but they are not going to rest on their laurels now that they've reached this milestone.

"To be honest with you, I'm not the sort of person who reminisces and looks back. I'm the sort of person who looks forward, and we have a lot more work to do," he said.

While John's participation in The Lion King might not yet be confirmed, fans can enjoy some of the singer's most iconic tunes on his new greatest hits album Diamonds, due out Nov. 10.